Tough

The Book in 1 Sentence

Terry Crews lectures you about his life and the lesson he has learned that you should learn too.

Brief Review

Terry Crews recounts the lessons he is still learning as he has moved through his life from school, growing up in an abusive home, the NFL, and acting. These lessons are presented to you in a way that almost feel like you should feel guilty for learning these lessons in the way he did. I don't think that he meant it that way, just how I felt about the book.

Why I Read this book

I think Terry Crews is a fantastic actor and know that he has struggled with violence in his live and wanted to learn more.

In-Depth Review (Favorite Quotes)

God is interested in the freedom of the whole human race and the creation of a society where all men will live together as brothers. And every man will respect the dignity and worth of human personality. And so that is the need to stand up, that is the need for all people of goodwill in this nation to become involved participants. - Martin Luther King Jr.

This is a relatively short book with some lessons that are important. I really enjoyed learning more about his life and the work he has put in. I think that is the lesson that really stood out, the idea that you need to keep working on yourself because you are not perfect.

Terry Crews is an ok writer. I understand why the book is broken down the way it is, but it makes it very jumpy at times. Also some of the chapters, because of the breakdown, do feel redundant in the stories presented or thematically it is the same story. I also mentioned that the book felt judgmental and maybe that was directed toward those in the story, but I almost felt talked at rather than talked with. I am not sure if it is the writing, narration, or just because I listen at 1.5x, but it is just way it came across. I know that wasn't his intent, but just a note.

The chapter that the previous paragraph doesn't apply to is the last one, "Agency." I really feel that the best lessons where in that chapter and the ones that I really feel drove home the point of his book. That being "Tough" isn't about being physical, it is about the mental strength to do the right thing and continue to right the wrongs you have done.

How my life / behavior / thoughts / ideas have changed as a result of reading the book.

I left a quote at the begging of the last section that I really like. I have some truly awful neighbors and I feel that I just need to have this quote played on repeat for them. Outside of that quote, the chapter on Agency really talks about your ability to continue to take action and have a choice. That is a great idea to maintain in a world where sometimes I do feel stuck and out of options.

Rating

I wanted to like this book. A lot, but it doesn't sink home for me. Maybe it is the content and where I am in life, maybe it is just the way I heard it. I think the stories are interesting, but the lessons are a little simple for me and my life experience. Maybe that really is the difference for him and me. Some of the lessons I will never have to learn as I didn't grow up in Flint Michigan as a Black Man. We have lived two very different lives and I am attempting to not let that play into this rating. I want to say it is a 6, but the stories are good and the ending chapter is outstanding. I think it should be a 7 and that this book and the lessons are just not for me. So a 7 or 8 depending on where you are in life.

*** Side note: I feel that I give a lot of 7s and recently a media company that rates games was discovered to give games they didn't review a 7 by default and I don't want to do that. I find that I will avoid that number and that was part of the reason I started to give it a 6.